A-Rod's Date With Feds Postponed

Meeting delayed by mutual consent

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Alex Rodriguez's meeting Friday with federal investigators probing a Canadian doctor was delayed, and the third baseman remained at spring training with the Yankees rather than traveling to Buffalo.

The meeting was postponed by mutual consent, a person familiar with the delay said on condition of anonymity because no statements were authorized. The meeting has not yet been rescheduled, the person said.

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Rodriguez said he never left Florida on Friday, and he was in the starting lineup for an exhibition game against the Philadelphia Phillies in Tampa.

"Whether I talked to them today or next week, it will be done and, hopefully, it will be done before opening day, and we can move on," Rodriguez said.

New York opens the defense of its World Series title at Boston on April 4.

Rodriguez said March 1 he had been contacted by investigators who wanted to interview him about his treatment from Dr. Anthony Galea following hip surgery last year. Galea faces four charges in Canada related to human growth hormone and Actovegin.

The physician told The Associated Press in an interview March 8 he prescribed anti-inflammatories for the slugger, not HGH.

Other major leaguers, including the Mets' Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran, have been contacted by federal investigators about Galea. Colorado closer Huston Street has said investigators might want to talk to him about the case. Reyes and Beltran have said they did not receive HGH from Galea.

When asked why it has taken this long to meet with agents, Rodriguez said, "We're not delaying. I don't think anyone is to blame. I think we all have the same goal in mind, to cooperate with both parties and everything is going to be fine."

He also said he will meet soon with officials from Major League Baseball. The Yankees planned to wait until A-Rod spoke with investigators before asking their own questions.

Galea, who also has treated golfer Tiger Woods, was charged by Canadian authorities in December with selling Actovegin, which is unapproved. He also was charged with conspiracy to import an unapproved drug, conspiracy to export a drug and smuggling goods into Canada by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Galea was arrested Oct. 15 after a search warrant was executed at the Institute of Sports Medicine Health and Wellness Centre near Toronto.

Authorities in Canada and the United States became interested in Galea after his assistant Mary Anne Catalano was stopped at the border and Actovegin and HGH were found in her car.

Galea told the AP during the March 8 interview that Catalano was carrying only a minuscule amount of HGH and that it was for his own use.